research
Southeast Alaska tribal council develops climate change plan
Climate change in Alaska’s high Arctic often captures headlines. Images of vanishing sea ice, dead seabirds, beached marine mammals, melting permafrost and houses tumbling into the ocean are common. Less media attention is directed to Southeast Alaska, an archipelago of hundreds of islands around a thin strip of mainland, blanketed by coastal temperate rainforest. But…
Read MoreSheffield, Ahmasuk honored for seabird mortality response
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has honored Alaska Sea Grant’s Gay Sheffield and Brandon Ahmasuk of Kawerak, Inc. for leading a coordinated response to seabird mortality events across the Bering and Chukchi region. Since 2013, Sheffield, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and Ahmasuk have…
Read MoreSeaweed farmers in Alaska gear up for large haul
Blue Evolution is collaborating with the University of Alaska and Alaska Sea Grant on seaweed research aimed at developing cost-effective cultivation methods for several native species.
Read MoreScientists study fate of salmon in a changing Alaska landscape
From coastal shores to inland mountains, salmon are part of the fabric of Alaska. Salmon have been harvested by Alaska Natives for thousands of years and remain a critical part of the state’s commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries. As anadromous fish, salmon spend the first months to years of their lives in freshwater before migrating…
Read MoreCarbon dioxide sample from Utqiaġvik provides wake-up call on climate
How does the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere measured at Hawai‘i’s Mauna Loa volcano over the last six decades compare with the air above Alaska? During a recent spring trip to Utqiaġvik, I had a chance to find out by visiting the farthest-north atmospheric observatory operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…
Read MoreAn interview with Alaska Sea Grant-funded graduate student Ashley Rossin
The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network recently profiled Ashley Rossin on her research interests, her Alaska Sea Grant research project looking at the effects of ocean acidification on clams, and her advice for other young scientists interested in the field.
Read MoreLaying the foundation for resilient coastal communities
Average temperatures in Alaska have increased twice as fast as anywhere in the country over the last century. This warming—as much as 6 degrees in winter and three degrees in summer—is expected to continue along with the effects of disappearing sea ice, thawing of permafrost, changes in fish and wildlife patterns, extreme flooding and erosion.…
Read MoreCreative and innovative research proposals sought
Alaska Sea Grant is gearing up to fund new research to benefit Alaska. We invite researchers to submit pre-proposals for projects to be undertaken during 2020–2022. Investigators at academic, research, and education institutions throughout Alaska may apply for one- to two-year research projects. The deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2019 by 5 p.m. Alaska…
Read MoreSymposium aims to bridge gaps between fishermen and scientists
Fishing and seafood-industry professionals will join academics at the 32nd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium in Anchorage next spring. The symposium’s theme is “Cooperative Research — strategies for integrating industry perspectives and insights in fisheries science.” Attendees will explore effective strategies and approaches to integrate industry perspectives and insights in fisheries science. The symposium is scheduled…
Read MoreScientists use app to engage citizens in ocean acidification study
Clam populations throughout Alaska have steadily declined for over 20 years, affecting subsistence, recreational and commercial harvesters. The exact causes of the decline are unknown. Suspected factors include habitat changes, environmental stressors, predation and, possibly, ocean acidification. Under the supervision of University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Amanda Kelley, PhD student Ashley Rossin is studying the…
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